Baseball Hitting Trainer and Method of Use

ABSTRACT

A baseball hitting trainer and method of use is disclosed where the baseball hitting trainer has a barrel portion, a handle portion, a handle located on the terminal end of the barrel portion and handle located on the terminal end of the handle portion of the trainer. In use the trainer is placed behind a player&#39;s head with the players left and right hand grasping the handle portion and the handle portion also resting on the shoulders of the player behind their neck. The player assumes a baseball stance and rotates their body such that the barrel end of the trainer comes into contact with a target or zone thereby teaching a player the proper rotation and angle their body core should travel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of baseball and more specifically equipment that is used to aid a baseball player in proper hitting mechanics and specifically to a baseball hitting training and stretching device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A major component of the game of baseball is the ability of a player to hit a fast traveling baseball in order to score points to overcome the opposing team. The ability for a player to use a generally narrow device such as a bat to hit a fast traveling baseball is not easy to achieve on a consistent basis without adequate training and practice. While a player's arms and hands hold the bat and are a major component of a proper hitting technique, it is the core of a player's body that is at the center and controls the general direction of arm swing. There are a number baseball hitting training devices in the art, however, there are none that primarily focus on the movement of the body to the exclusion of the hands to begin training of a baseball player in their hitting motion. Further, there are not training devices in the art that allow a third party to control a baseball player's positioning from either behind or in front of the play by use of the device. Additionally, there are no training devices that will accommodate different size players without having to have a different size training device. What is needed in the art is a baseball hitting trainer device that focuses on the central core body movement involved in a proper baseball hit swing, a device that allows one or two third parties to control a baseball player hitters body positioning by themselves behind and/or in front of baseball player and guiding the player's swing, and a trainer that accommodates users of all sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a baseball hitting trainer and stretching device having a barrel on end and an elongated handle on the other end whereby there are a plurality of handle sections that can be installed or removed depending on the size of the person who will use the device. Additionally, there are D handles which are handles shaped like the letter D that are located on either end of the trainer that allow a third party to control the hitting device while a user is training or stretching with the device. The D handles are removable should a user wish not to have them present. The invention herein disclosed is also a method for improving a batter's swing and method of stretching core muscles used when swinging a baseball bat. The trainer is suitable for use by players that are new to the game as well as professionals who may have inadvertently developed a bad habit in their swing.

Specific advantages and features of the present assembly will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description of several illustrative embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hitting trainer.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of vie of the hitting trainer with its multiple segments and handles uncoupled.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a player having the baseball trainer in an appropriate position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a player having rotated their body in a swinging motion while using the baseball trainer.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a player having the trainer in the appropriate training position and third parties assisting said player by used of D handles.

It should be understood that the present drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments disclosed herein are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views. It should also be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is generally depicted in FIGS. 1-5 but may be embodied in various other forms. The principles and teachings of the invention, therefore, can be applied to numerous alternative variations.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 there is shown a baseball trainer 10. The trainer 10 in appearance is akin to a baseball bat but elongated in length such that its total length is sixty-six inches in one embodiment though the trainer 10 can be shorter or longer than this length. The trainer 10 has a barrel 12 and a handle 14. The handle 14 has segments 16 than are removable to adjust for different sized players. The handle 14 segments 16 have on one side a male threaded portion 18 and a female threaded portion 20. The segments 16 can be anywhere from six to twelve inches long but can be other lengths as well and allow for the trainer 10 to be adjusted in length to accommodate players of different heights. Players from four feet tall to six and a half feet tall or taller can use the trainer 10. On the barrel 12 terminal end of the trainer is located a D handle 22 as well as a D handle 22 located on the handle 14 terminal end of the trainer 10. A knob 23 can also be formed onto the terminal end of the handle 14 that a players hand can abut up against. The D handles 22 allow one or two third parties such as coaches, parents or other instructors to guide a player's swing rotation in the proper angle and plane such that it mimics a correct and productive baseball swing. The D handles 22 are removable should a player not need them or will not be receiving assistance from a third party. The trainer 10 on its barrel 12 end and handle 14 end have interior threaded apertures to receive a D handle 22 threaded post 24 portion such that they can be removed or installed as they are needed. In addition, The D handles 22 can be quickly installed or removed through a quick release system.

Referring now to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in use, the player places the handle 14 portion of the trainer 10 behind their neck and allows the handle portion of the trainer 10 to rest on the top of their shoulders. The player will place their left hand on the trainer 10 handle 14 on the left side of their head and their right hand on the trainer 10 handle 14 on the right side of their head and will moderately grasp the handle 10. For right-handed players, the barrel 12 of the trainer 10 will be on the right side of a player's head and a left-handed player would mount the trainer with the barrel 12 of the trainer 10 on the left side of their head. In one aspect of use of the trainer 10, a target is paced in a desired zone for use with the trainer. In one embodiment, the target can be a tee 26 with a ball 28 placed on top of the tee 26 is set out in front of the player. In other embodiments, the target can be a particular zone as communicated by an instructor or a ball 28 that is suspended from a string. The player takes the proper stance with the trainer 10 still resting on their shoulders behind their neck. A player will then rotate their body with the trainer 10 still stationary on their shoulders with hands grasping the trainer 10 such that the barrel 12 end of the trainer approaches the tee 26 and ball 28 in an arc and ultimately lines up with or hits the ball 28. A player will repeat this process repetitively so that it trains a player as to the correct rotation and alignment of the trainer 10 with the ball. This helps create muscle memory, and when the player's body core is rotating properly at the correct angles and planes, the player's arms and hands will naturally follow this trajectory given that the body makes up around 90 percent of the player's weight compared to their hands and arms. The trainer 10 also forces the player's legs to rotate properly as well because the player's legs are subject to the player's torso in order for the trainer 10 barrel 12 to make contact with the ball 28. By preventing the hands and arms from initially being part of the fundamental core rotation of a player's body, it allows for a player to develop proper positioning and technique. A player's arms and hands allow tremendous variability of body core rotation and positioning and can greatly prevent development of proper technique. By establishing the foundational body core rotation with use of the trainer 10 first, it allows a player to quickly proceed to develop proper technique when they finally do go live and hit a ball 28 using their hands and arms in a typical swing. Further, this exercise with the trainer 10 requires a player's head be turned toward the ball 28 and their eyes be looking at the ball 28 such that it promotes the habit of eye contact which is vital to learning proper hitting technique. If a player's head is not turned in the direction of the ball 28, they will be unable to properly line up the barrel 12 of the trainer 10 with the ball 28 or hit the ball 28. Therefore, the trainer 10 forces a player to maintain eye contact with the ball 28.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the trainer 10 also has the capability of allowing an instructor to control movement of the trainer 10 while positioned on a player's shoulders by grabbing hold of one of the D handles 22 and guiding a player through a correct swing rotation. This can be achieved using the D handles 22 on the barrel 12 end or the D handle 22 on the handle 14 end. Additionally, two instructors can grab one D handle 22 each and guide the player from the front and the back.

FIG. 5 also shows the trainer 10 is also used as a stretch aid for a player as they warm up before going to bat. Injuries often occur to player's muscles because of their failure to adequately stretch before going to bat. This is especially true for players who have built substantial muscle mass to aid their swing power. The length and weight of the trainer 10 help a player stretch their back muscles when they rotate their core left to right due to the centrifugal force that the bat exerts on a player's body couple with the weight and length of the trainer. In addition, another player, individual or instructor can grab hold of one of the D handles 22 and help a player rotate further than they can rotate with their normal range of motion thereby providing a greater stretch of the muscles. Some of the muscles benefitted from use of the trainer 10 as a stretching device include the various abdominal oblique muscles, the latissimus dorsi muscles of the back along with various other muscles that are important to the rotation of the core of the body at the hips while standing in a standing position. Importantly, in the modern world of sports where technological advances in nutrition, performance and weight training have allowed many players to become very muscular and strong, the trainer 10 aids those players who would have a harder time properly stretching the muscles that are important to a baseball swing.

The trainer 10 can be made of metal, wood, carbon fiber, composite materials and high density plastics. With regards to metal, steel gives the trainer 10 more weight than aluminum and may be preferred by some players as it allows a player to generate more momentum while stretching due to the weight of the trainer 10. However, aluminum is lighter and may be preferred by players with lower levels of physical strength. The trainer 10 can be made using a CNC machine, lathe, injection molding or cast molding method. Wood is also a viable option as it is cheaper and easier to manipulate than metal. Additionally, graphite or some other composite materials could be used in conjunction with a solid core material in the interior of the barrel 12 and handle 14 for proper balance.

The principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing specification. The embodiments disclosed herein should be interpreted as illustrating the present invention and not as restricting it. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the range of equivalent structure available to a person of ordinary skill in the art in any way, but rather to expand the range of equivalent structures in ways not previously contemplated. Numerous variations and changes can be made to the foregoing illustrative embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A baseball swing training device, comprising: a barrel portion on an end of the swing training device and a handle portion on an opposite end of the swing training device and whereby the barrel portion tapers into the handle portion; a handle located on a terminal end of the barrel portion and a handle located on a terminal end of the handle portion.
 2. The swing training device of claim 1 wherein the handle portion is formed of a plurality of individual segments that can lengthen or shorten the swing training device by removing or installing individual segments in the handle portion of the swing training device.
 3. The swing training device of claim 2 wherein the individual segments of the handle portion have on one end a threaded post and on the opposite end a complementary threaded aperture for receiving a threaded post of another segment.
 4. The swing training device of claim 2 wherein the length of the individual segments range between six and twelve inches.
 5. The swing training device of claim 1 wherein the handle located on the terminal end of the barrel portion and the handle located on the terminal end of the handle portion can be removed or installed by having a threaded post formed onto each said handle that are installable into a complementary threaded aperture located on the terminal end of the barrel portion and a complementary threaded aperture located the terminal end of the handle portion.
 6. The swing training device of claim 1 wherein the handle portion of the trainer is longer than the barrel portion of the trainer.
 7. The swing training device of claim 1 wherein the handles located on the terminal end of the barrel portion of the swing training device and terminal end of the handle portion of the swing training device are generally in the shape of the capital letter D.
 8. The swing training device of claim 1 wherein the barrel portion of the swing training device has a diameter larger than the handle portion.
 9. A method for training teaching a player appropriate batting technique, comprising the steps of: providing a swing training device having a barrel portion on an end of the swing training device and a handle portion on an opposite end of the swing training device whereby the barrel portion tapers into the handle portion, and a handle located on a terminal end of the barrel portion and a handle located on a terminal end of the handle portion; having a player grasp the swing training device on the handle portion with a players hands and bringing the handle portion of the swing training device to rest on a player's shoulders behind the neck whereby the left hand is grasping the handle portion on the left side of their head and their right hand is grasping the handle portion on the right side of their head; having a player assume a proper stance for hitting a baseball; placing a target at a desired zone in front of the player; and having the player rotate their body and maintain eye contact with a target such that the barrel portion of the swing training device comes into contact with the target and repeating said step a plurality of times.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of adjusting the length of the swing training device by removing or installing a segment of handle to accommodate a player's size.
 11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of having an instructor grasp on the swing training device either the handle located on the terminal end of the barrel portion or the handle located on the terminal end of the handle portion and guiding a player through a proper swing path to aid them in contacting a target set in front of them or swinging the barrel through a general zone.
 12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of having an instructor grasp the handle on the terminal end of the barrel portion and having another instructor grasp the handle on the terminal end of the handle portion of the swing training device and simultaneously guiding a player through a proper swing path to aid them in contacting a target set in front of them or swing the barrel through a general zone.
 13. A method for stretching a baseball player, comprising the steps of: providing a swing training device having a barrel portion on one an end of the swing training device and a handle portion on the an opposite end of the swing training device whereby the barrel portion tapers into the handle portion, and a handle located on the a terminal end of the barrel portion and a handle located on the a terminal end of the handle portion; grasping the swing training device on the handle portion with a player's hands and bringing the handle portion of the swing training device to rest on a player's shoulders behind the neck whereby the left hand is grasping the handle portion on the left side of their head and their right hand is grasping the handle portion on the right side of their head; and repetitively rotating a player's upper torso from left to right.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of having a helper aid the player whereby a helper grasps the handle on the terminal end of the barrel portion of the swing training device and exerting a force on the swing training device in the direction a player has rotated to aid a player in stretching a further distance.
 15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of having a helper aid the player whereby a helper grasps the handle on the terminal end of the handle portion of the swing training device and exerting a force on the swing training device in the direction a player has rotated to aid a player in stretching a further distance.
 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of having a helper aid the player whereby a helper grasps the handle on the terminal end of the handle portion of the swing training device and another helper grasps the handle on the terminal end of the barrel portion of the swing training device and both helpers exerting a force on the swing training device in the direction a player has rotated to aid a player in stretching a further distance. 